


The Fire Lady's Wedding Day

by BrightnessKholin



Series: Fire Lady Mai [2]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Azula (Avatar) Redemption, F/M, Fluff, Mai (Avatar)-Centric
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-13
Updated: 2020-08-13
Packaged: 2021-03-06 03:34:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25876756
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BrightnessKholin/pseuds/BrightnessKholin
Summary: It's Zuko and Mai's wedding day. Fire Lady Mai is coming.
Relationships: Mai/Zuko (Avatar)
Series: Fire Lady Mai [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1877722
Kudos: 52





	The Fire Lady's Wedding Day

**Author's Note:**

> So this is becoming a series. I wasn't planning for it to be but here we are.

The day had finally arrived. Zuko and Mai were getting married.

After their conversation four years prior, Mai had taken time to read several texts found only in the royal family’s library. As a member of high society, Mai had been schooled in history and geography and she was grateful for it since it meant she could dedicate more time to learning the intricacies of politics. She studied with palace officials, with Uncle Iroh, and with Zuko himself. Zuko knew that Mai was taking this seriously, so he did too.

Every few days, Zuko would take the time to quiz her on the Fire Nation higher-ups, their families, who got along with each other, and more.

“Mai, are you ready?” Azula asked, knocking at her door.

She had also spoken with Azula.

* * *

It had taken 3 months after the day of Sozin’s Comet before Mai found the courage to visit Azula. Ty Lee had offered to accompany her, since she herself had been visiting Azula regularly by then, but Mai told her it was something she needed to do for herself.

It had not gone well the first time. Azula had yelled, had cursed her, had mocked her, had belittled her but Mai had been expecting that. After several failed attempts, there was finally a breakthrough. Ty Lee had a role to play in that; she softened Azula’s temper.

There was yelling, there was crying, there was laughing but Azula and Mai finally managed to have conversations that were free of fear and resentment, free of the hierarchy that existed between them when Azula had control over Mai as the Fire Nation princess.

Zuko also had a role to play. It had taken the longest for Azula and Zuko to come to speaking terms, but with a lot of patience on Zuko’s part and a lot of time, the two were finally able to start healing. On their own and with each other. They had both been victims of their father but Zuko had also been a victim of Azula. Not to mention the fact that Ozai had revealed the resources necessary for them to find their mother.

It was a difficult four years, with so much on Zuko’s shoulder while he tried to balance his relationship with his sister, his duties as Fire Lord, and his role as a boyfriend (later fiancé). It had been hard for Mai too. She tried to be strong for Zuko, tried to be someone he could rely on, but there was only so much she could do while trying to balance her own relationships with family and friends, all while preparing to be the Fire Lady. Uncle Iroh had been a great source of strength for not only Zuko, but for herself too.

Now finally, the day had come. She had approached Zuko first. It was him who told her he’d marry her when they were 17 years old, so now at 21, she would be the one to tell him that she was also ready to be married. She remembered their conversation just one month before.

“Zuko, I’m ready.” She had said out of the blue.

“Ready for what?” he asked. Mai raised one eyebrow.

“Oh!” he exclaimed. He didn’t bother asking if she was sure, he knew she was. He stared at her before breaking into a smile and taking her into his arms.

“I’m happy to hear that. I’ve waited for this day, Mai.”

She rested her chin on his shoulder and sighed. “If it were up to me, we’d get married right away but I know that’s not possible.” He nodded in solemn agreement.

Invitations had to be sent to friends, family, noble families from the Fire Nation as well as the Earth Kingdom and Northern Water Tribe. It had been many years since the nation could celebrate with a royal wedding, a royal wedding that wasn’t marred in sadness and controversy. Ozai and Ursa had not been a happy couple but Zuko and Mai would be, and the attendees would be able to witness that. No one would be able to say that Zuko and Mai did not love each other.

And now the day had arrived. Guests had been pouring into the city from around the world and Zuko and Mai had been gracious hosts. Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Toph and arrived together a week before the wedding was to take place. Mai had been happy to see them and greeted them with a smile.

* * *

“Mai, are you ready?” Azula asked, knocking at her door.

“Yes, come in.” Azula and Ty Lee entered the room. At first Azula had only been permitted to roam the palace, eventually she was allowed into the city, and now she enjoyed the freedoms of someone who had been pardoned by Fire Lord Zuko.

Mai was dressed in shades of red with gold embroidery. Her hair was adorned with an arrangement of fire lilies. She wore light make up.

“Wow! You look so beautiful Mai.” Ty Lee gushed. Mai smiled at her.

“So, are you ready? I went to see Zuko and he’s a mess. I mentioned that it’d be the worst day to make a fool of himself and now he’s even more stressed. No need to thank me.” Azula said.

Mai shook her head in amusement. She was glad that Azula and Zuko had found this relationship. She doubted Azula would ever be the supportive and reassuring kind.

“I’ve been ready. It may have been an innocent childhood crush at first but I have wanted Zuko since I first saw him in this very palace.” Mai said confidently.

Azula rolled her eyes. “Yes, I do remember how pathetic the two of you were around each other even then.”

Ty Lee giggled. “Remember when he tackled her into the pond in an effort to put out the burning apple on her head?”

“Yes, that’s when I knew for sure these two were lost for each other.”

Azula and Ty Lee kept teasing her but Mai’s mind drifted to other memories. To time spent together in silence, not knowing how to start a conversation with each other. To secret kisses given in palace hallways. To the feeling of loss at being separated because of Zuko’s banishment. To the feeling of betrayal when Zuko left to join the Avatar. To the feeling of hope when Mai realized they no longer had any obstacles.

It had all been worth it. Now she found herself on her wedding day, about to be married to the Fire Lord, about to become the nation’s Fire Lady.

It was time. Azula and Ty Lee escorted her to where the wedding would take place.

* * *

It was a beautiful ceremony. Aang cried.

After the wedding, there was a short and personal ceremony attended only by Zuko, herself, and the necessary officials for her to sign documents that would effectively make her the Fire Lady. Marriage to the Fire Lord alone did not a Fire Lady make.

That night, after the guests had ate and drank and celebrated, the palace was silent while celebrations went on in the city. Zuko and Mai were in their shared room together.

Zuko had not been able to stop smiling the whole day.

“So, Fire Lord Zuko. How does it feel to be married?”

“Well, Fire Lady Mai, it’s been great so far but then I really do love you so I might be biased.”

She smiled at him and kissed him.

“I love you too. Thank you Zuko. Thank you for giving me time to get ready, not only to be married but to be a leader and help you be a leader too. I promise I will do right by you.”

“I promise too.” He cupped her right cheek with his right hand while his left arm went around her waist. He did not kiss her, instead he touched their foreheads and stared into her eyes. Some thoughts did not need words. Mai understood that this day at been the culmination of several years of pining, yearning, mourning, and happiness.

As Zuko laid her onto the bed, the only thing Mai could think was how happy she was. 


End file.
